los angeles unified

as part of the L.A.'s Annual River Day of Service, I took E with me to a garden project at Canoga Park High School - which is located right at the headwaters of the Los Angeles River. the confluence of Bell and Calabasas Creeks. when she was little - and we would ride the bike to her preschool - we would cross the river each day. i would tell her that is was the l.a. river. and she would tell me it wasn't a river. and so on. the Los Angeles River was paved in the 1930's - and now it is better known for its role in Grease than for the wildlife that call it home.

we are fortunate to have an area of the river near us reclaimed as a wildlife reserve and a plan to reclaim an area of river within walking distance of our home underway. i cant' wait. i know that we will visit it often.

our river is the tie that binds. it unifies us. it reminds us that we are all coastal communities. it helps us choose the right plants to landscape our yards. it tells us stories of our history. it locates us within this great city. it is a wonderful symbol of this sprawling diverse place we call home.

it was exciting talking to E about it today. connecting her to where it begins. working alongside her. helping our river together. i love being part of this great place. today's connection of river and public school was a thrill.



i wanted to share some of joe linton's amazing artwork for this year's clean-up. to no avail. so here is an old LAUSD truck used by the Canoga Park HS Ag program instead.

a bit of a blur

end of a full week that sped by again. so glad it is Friday.

took a few days to get back into our groove after spring break. then stayed up late and got up earlier to take in as much of the celebration as we could. couldn't help it. the girls were entranced. siting spots they will get to visit this summer.

tonight the school talent show.

tomorrow the River Day of Service and a visit to a UC Extension Master Gardener class. and in the afternoon :: some time well spent in our garden.

Sunday. oh Sunday.

hope you have a lovely one!

this weekend

time outside in the garden.

time outside with great friends old and new.

great food.

and lots of skipping.

hope you had a wonderful easter. spring break didn't see me get too much done. but we did relax and just hang. which was pretty much perfect.

p.s. from my last post... Rebecca's "egg stuffer" chalkboard necklaces turned out so well - thanks for the idea. see them here.

easter egging

we carved out a quiet afternoon of chatting and egg dying yesterday. i had the pysanky kit ready to go - but the girls opted for their own approach. their favourites: simple wax relief with a crayon and our stand-by elastic band.







it has been a lovely week. and a beautiful weekend ahead.

need to prep some food and the eggs today for two hunts on sunday - one at church, and one at our neighbors'. do you have a go-to plastic egg filler? (d makes fun of me - i save the plastic eggs year to year in our linen closet in anticipation of these two hunts!) we usually end up filling them with stickers ... but wondering about something different: cost effective and earth-friendly. any suggestions?

happy friday :)

they say its your birthday

can my little brother really be turning 39?
we love you uncle trent. sweetest guy i know. xoxo



photo circa 1977. my brother, cousins and i with my uncle. and a peek of my grandmother. i'm trying to recollect the story in the photo. we were bike riding and uncle don and gramma brought us cotton candy? do you remember?

today.

::

spring break begins now! the focus is on r & r and hanging out together.

and perhaps a campout. we will see.

i have only 3 things on my wishlist agenda:

some time with this book

some time in the garden

some time with a new project

happy weekend!

how do i explain

choosing our neighborhood public school was one of the hardest and best decisions i have made in my life. we had our annual open house tonight and (as usual) i was blown away. by the turnout. by the enthusiasm for our school in the face of the worst budget crisis imaginable. by the ready willingness to band together in support of what our school needs. by the smiles. by the fact that we know all these people by name. by the knowledge that my kids navigate this place like it is their home away from home. (which it is.)

whatever shortcomings can be said about public education in this city (and there certainly are shortcomings) are all wiped away by the community experience.

it isn't the building that needs a paint job. it isn't the asphalt that i wish would all disappear. it isn't the class size that is larger than ever. it isn't the rickety old desks and tattered textbooks. it is this vibrant, diverse, loving group of people my kids interact with every day.








it is hard to put it into words. but i am endlessly grateful for it.

this weekend

dinner and mariachis and margaritas with neighbor-friends. the kids kept thanking me for making it happen. (the adventure of pinball while we waited for our table added to the excitement.) i recalled how much i loved "pay-day dinners out" when i was a kid.

an early morning birthday and a team effort on two science projects (fingerprints and catapults). a movie that surpassed my expectations.



two extra dogs to wake me up extra-early. and a quiet moment enjoying that extra-early morning.

a thrilling soccer game (these girls are really coming together!) and the finishing touches on aforementioned projects. a little time with my project (macrame).

roast chicken with mashed potatoes and greens fresh from the farm.

stock simmering on the stove.

and while in the moment it often seemed too much it is good now to write it down. i smile as i think back. and the harried moments seem few and far between.

it was a good weekend.

good evening.

i finished object of beauty last night. thought it was a great bedtime read.

a friend, hearing of the stacks of books by my bed, suggested i read more on the ipad. i balked. then thought - perhaps recipe books will be my gateway e-book drug. we will see. now i hear my mom is reading an e-book. shocking mom!

jump rope around the block

d gave me a new lens (50mm 1:1.4) way back for christmas. i've been using it a lot. it has become my fast favourite. and while the bright light of socal gets me clicking, it is so much fun taking pictures in lower light levels too.

zero to six

baby shower for jose and damaris





disco birthday celebration for diego